


When war ends, life begins

by ZukosAss



Series: When war ends, life begins [1]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Aang (Avatar) Needs a Hug, Azula (Avatar) Redemption, Badass Katara (Avatar), Bisexual Sokka (Avatar), Bisexual Suki (Avatar), F/F, F/M, Gay Zuko (Avatar), Happy Azula (Avatar), Hurt Zuko (Avatar), Iroh (Avatar) is a Good Uncle, Lesbian Toph Beifong, Lesbian Ty Lee (Avatar), M/M, Parental Hakoda (Avatar), Past Jet/Zuko (Avatar), Protective Azula (Avatar), Protective Sokka (Avatar), Two of my original characters are in love, Ursa (Avatar) is a Good Parent, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, i am god, no one can stop me
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2021-01-03
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:21:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28367592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZukosAss/pseuds/ZukosAss
Summary: Okay, so this originally went on Wattpad (it was called 'After the War', but I've accepted that no one is reading anything on there anymore, so let's start the long process of moving all my fics over here). I've realised that this gives me an opportunity, not most writers get: I can still see where I started on Wattpad, but I can give the story a new stronger beginning on here, and change things I don't like but it isn't sacrificing what I already made.This originally started as a really stupid joke, and somehow I got a whole fic, plethora of side characters, invented lore and so many other things out of it.Anyways, let's join Team Avatar, as they navigate the ups and downs of a world living in an era of newly formed peace.
Relationships: Aang/Katara (Avatar), Azula/Ty Lee (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar), Toph Beifong/Suki
Series: When war ends, life begins [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2077518
Comments: 10
Kudos: 13





	1. Play the death card

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to my niche interest chapter, where Zuko sorts out his council.
> 
> Anyways we pick up with Sokka, Toph and Zuko directly after the end of the war, trying to weed out Ozai loyalists and there's some good old gay pining.

_Click_

The sound of his high heeled boots hitting the tiled floor rang in Zuko’s ears as he approached the throne room.

_Clack_

He took a deep breath and lay a hand on the red set of double doors that led into the throne room. He closed his eyes as he pushed them open.

_Creak_

He didn’t know what he expected to see, but it wasn’t what greeted him when the doors opened. A silent, empty room. He walked into the throne room and stopped just short of the steps up to the platform where his throne awaited him. He tried to take a step forward but apparently, his brain was experiencing a mutiny from his body, and his legs weren’t responding anymore.

“Your Majesty?” Zuko fidgeted at the sound of General Shinu’s voice. The deep baritone voice still put all of his nerves on edge. He was the man who had spoken of the Earth Kingdom rebellions against Fire Nation rule on the day prior to the invasion. Zuko turned to face Ozai’s master of war. “Is everything quite alright?” The General’s words displayed concern, his voice didn’t. Zuko was horrible at reading tone of voice, but even he knew this man meant to do him harm.

He was surrounded by enemies.

“I am perfectly alright, General” Zuko assured the man, his confidence growing when he saw Sokka entering the room along with Toph and Suki. Despite feeling his skin crawling at the sight of Sokka’s arm wrapped around Suki’s shoulders. “May I offer you some tea?” Zuko asked, walking to the table where he’d requested a tray of tea and fruit be placed.

As Zuko poured the tea for the General he noticed Suki go to stand with Toph at the side of the throne room, almost hiding behind the pillars. Zuko felt a blooming warmth in his chest at the realisation that this was in an effort to get the drop on any person in this meeting that may deign to hurt him. However, the warmth was cut with a tinge of bristling annoyance that Suki and Toph were trying to protect him. As though he couldn’t protect himself. He took a moment to collect himself and remind his brain that he had friends now, and friends look after each other. After all, he’d do the same for any of them.

Zuko turned to the platform that held the throne and tried once more to ascend the steps. He made a mental note to somehow reward the one braincell he had left in his head when he actually managed to get up to the throne this time.

Zuko took a seat on his throne and looked out at the throne room. The rest of the council had filtered in and were all kneeling around the world map. Sokka, Katara and Aang were sitting at the end of the map furthest away from Zuko. Aang at the head of the map, and Sokka and Katara to his left and right. Normally the way they were sitting would have earned them an Agni Kai for disrespect, but Zuko didn't care how they were sitting, all he asked was that they be with him and give him the strength he needed to face his council. This was the first time in his three week reign that he had a meeting with his council. His father's council.

Sokka flashed Zuko one of his signature cocksure smiles, and a thumbs up. Zuko returned the smile and began the meeting.

“Gentlemen, I think we all know why the Firelord has called us here” General Anzai started. Zuko leaned on his hand in an effort to hide the smirk he was fighting to keep off his face. He was interested to know what the master of affairs thought this meeting was about. 

“I believe it's time to organise the suitor’s day” Zuko's smirk melted off his face. Okay, he definitely wasn’t expecting that to come out of the guy’s mouth. “Now I know none of us ever thought we would have a female Firelord, but this one is as good as, so we’ll need to find her - oh dear me, my bad - him, the finest men in the Fire Nation” Zuko narrowed his eyes as the General turned to him with a smug smile all over his face, and it took all of Zuko’s self-control not to lash out at the General. That's what he was expecting from Zuko. So that's exactly what Zuko wouldn't do. “Am I correct, Your Majesty?”

Zuko scanned the room and noted all of the council members, bar one, was trying (albeit not very hard) to contain riotous laughter. Up until now, Zuko had been conflicted about his decision. Not anymore.

“Actually General Anzai, you’re wrong” Zuko didn’t know why his eyes drifted to Sokka when he called the General out, but nonetheless they did, and he could have sworn he saw Sokka look visibly relieved at the knowledge Zuko wasn’t going to be subjected to a ream of suitors. “I called this meeting because there are some people I would like you all to meet” Zuko stood from the throne.

The only sound in the room was the heels of his boots clacking twice on the surface of the wooden platform that held his throne as he took a step forward. Stopping just short of the roaring fire in front of him, and he was sure that the orange flames were framing his face in an intimidating light. Good. After Anzai’s performance, intimidating is exactly what he wanted. 

“Okay, good, it would be hard to find a man who would be happy to bed someone with that scar” oh good, Anzai had stopped being subtle. Zuko remained unflinching, however, realising this gave him the opportunity to get rid of the discourteous General. “Though being the Firelord has some perks that would raise interest in any suitor” Zuko narrowed his eyes.

“Unless you’re offering yourself as a viable candidate, sit down General” Zuko enjoyed the fear in Anzai’s eyes as he lowered himself into his seat. “Not that I would accept you anywyays” Zuko decided to say that last part under his breath. He nodded to the guards stationed at the entrance, and they opened the doors.

“Gentlemen I present to you: the master of arms - Master Vaegor, the master of ships - Admiral Vise, the master of coin - Officer Astra, the master of war - General Shou, the master of forges - Corporal Visenya, and the master of affairs - General Layre” as Zuko listed off the positions of his new council the new people that were to fill them filed into the room one by one, and stood in a line facing the throne, forming the Fire Nation salute.

“Um, Your Majesty” Zuko turned his threatening glare on General Shinu and gestured for him to proceed. “These positions are already filled” Zuko cracked a smug grin.

“Actually General, I don’t have these positions filled” Zuko’s face split into an even wider grin. “Sokka, if you will do the honours”

“Happily” Sokka smiled, pulling a few scrolls from his pockets.

“You have all been found guilty of conspiring with the former Firelord Ozai on the day fo black sun and Sozin's Comet, he was a known war criminal and well, I just don’t feel safe with you all lurking about” Zuko explained as Sokka handed out the small scrolls, each one containing the council member’s notices of dismissal. “Now that none of you are taking up a position on my council, you don’t need to be here, please vacate the room for the council members” Zuko had expected the death glares he would receive as the men left the room, yet that didn’t make them any less heartbreaking.

“Your Majesty” Zuko cast his gaze to the one remaining Ozai council member in the room.

“General Baenor” Zuko addressed the man.

“I can’t help but notice you didn’t replace me” Zuko pursed his lips contemplating how to explain the circumstance to the General.

“When your job was advertised no one wanted to take it” Zuko started. “The other positions had people fighting tooth and nail over them, but not your job” Zuko watched the general sigh with what he suspected may be relief. “Plus, you seemed a fairly neutral party in the war, though that does not indicate that I trust you” Zuko narrowed his eyes.

“I can understand that Your Majesty” the General bowed, and Zuko returned it.

If anyone asked Zuko to recall what happened after he fired the old council, he wouldn’t be able to tell them. The rest of the meeting had gone by in a blur and now Zuko found himself at his new room, one of his servants following closely behind. “All of your things have been brought to your room Your Majesty” Zuko turned to face the servant. She was assuming a deep bow.

He turned back to the room. “Swords, check. Knife, check. Lots of new, heavy, ancestral robes” Zuko let out a long sigh. “Check”

“Is there anything else I can do for you, Your Majesty?” The servant asked and Zuko turned back to face her.

“Please ensure my guests are settled in and then go about your usual duties” Zuko flashed the woman a weak smile as she bowed further and went about situating Zuko’s friends.

Zuko stepped into the room, closing the door behind him, and he leaned against it. He pressed his head to the wood and slid down the surface of the door until he was sitting on the floor.

He sat against the door for a while. Looking up at the high ceiling of his room, shrouded and hidden in darkness. The servants had lit some candles shortly before his arrival to the room, but it was so enormous most of the room was still blanketed in darkness. Since Mai had left to help her aunt, being Firelord had become a lonely job. Sokka must have sensed this in Zuko’s letters when he gathered all of what he likes to call Team Avatar, and brought them on a surprise visit to the Fire Nation.

“Zuko” there was a knock at the door to accompany his name and Zuko sat up and turned to the door he was sitting against.

“Yeah?” He acknowledged whoever was calling for him on the other side of the door.

“Me and the others are going to go out and explore the market in the city” Zuko quickly realised it was Sokka who was on the other side of the door. “Do you wanna come? Your uncle said that market was your favourite place when you were a kid” Sokka had asked Iroh about Zuko’s favourite childhood haunts? “I know you’ve been pretty down since Mai left... it might cheer you up” well Zuko couldn’t argue with that.

“I’m pretty exhausted from that meeting, Sokka” Zuko started as he stood up. He decided he needed a more upbeat tone. “My plan is a quick power nap, then I’ll join you all for dinner” Zuko had a smile plastered all over his face. But it wasn’t a real one. His lips were curled upwards, but his eyes still held the pain and loneliness that came with the golden crown sitting on his head.

“Okay, buddy!” Sokka’s tone was cheerful. And Zuko was sure the smile on his face was real. Maybe that could be enough for Zuko. Knowing that his friends were happy. He could keep on with his sad smiles, and they could continue to spread joy around him. Even if he couldn’t share that joy.

Zuko pressed his fingers to the wood of the door. Tempted to fling it open and run after Sokka and join his friends at the market. But a nap didn’t sound like a bad idea.

However, his feet didn’t take him to his bed. Instead, they took him to the plush cushioned seat at the base of one of the big bay windows. He sat on the soft cushions and tucked his knees into his chest. While he’d been in the room rain had started to fall. Zuko watched the drops of rain sliding down the glass, and wondered if the others were okay in the market.

A memory of him and Azula, running barefoot through the smooth stone streets of the Capital while a warm rain fell down on them, graced Zuko’s mind. He let another sad smile take its place on his lips, as he wondered if he and Azula would ever be able to run barefoot through the streets again.

Zuko sat for a while longer. Letting the rain almost lull him into a smooth, peaceful sleep. But for the Firelord, peace can never enter that haven of rest where problems and concerns may not tread.

With one last look at the pouring rain running down the window, and the sounds of the City in the distance, Zuko felt his eyes growing heavy and he closed them, letting sleep pull him in.


	2. Zuko's Dream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zuko is stressed about being Firelord and it leads to nightmares (just install Parliament and give my boi a break dang).
> 
> Anyways, when Zuko wakes in a cold sweat, Sokka comes to comfort him and daylight gives way to a new mission for Team Avatar to undertake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Zuko found himself thinking of his mother, as he often did when he was awake late at night. While he had been thinking of her more lately, this was the first time her voice had entered his mind.
> 
> “Here, my little turtleduck” Zuko could still picture the events that accompanied that sentence as clear as day. It was his sixth name day. If he squinted through the darkness of the room he could still see the mini wooden soldier sitting proudly on his vanity.

Zuko was sat on his throne looking out at the throne room. 

"Firelord Zuko" 

He looked around for the mysterious voice. When he looked back to the throne room in front of him, he saw his friends, his mother and Azula on their knees. He felt something grabbing him by the arms and it pushed him down so he knelt on the throne. He had his arms held outstretched either side of him and his head was forced up by his hair. 

Whatever was holding Zuko forced him to watch as the people he loved were consumed by darkness. Zuko was made to listen to his friends and family screaming as they were slain by an unseen force. The Firelord felt tears rolling down his face and he cried out as he heard his loved ones die. Though before the darkness blanketed them Zuko could have sworn he saw betrayal cross Sokka’s face. Just for a second.

Zuko jolted awake and felt a panicked shout tear itself from his throat and he sat up in his bed, breathing coming in ragged and stuttered. Covered in a cold sweat and every nerve frayed he laid his head in his hands and cried. He heard the door opening and looked up as he felt a hand on his shoulder. Sokka's concerned face greeted his eyes.

Sokka pulled Zuko into his side and ran his hands through the firebender's hair. "Wanna talk about it?" He whispered softly as he continued to run his hands through Zuko's hair, attempting to calm him down. Zuko shook his head softly and he felt Sokka tighten his grip on his shoulder.

"I miss her Sokka" Zuko mumbled into Sokka's chest.

"Who?"

"My mother"

Zuko felt Sokka stiffen before asking "what happened to her?"

"She disappeared one night, and after that, I never saw her again. My grandfather died the next day"

"That's a lot to take on in a day"

"It was hard, and the pain of my mother leaving doesn't get any easier as time goes on"

The two boys sat in silence for a while longer, Sokka not taking his arm off Zuko and still carding his fingers through Zuko’s soft hair.

"Want me to go?" Sokka’s question pierced the silence.

"No"

"Want me to stay with you until you go back to sleep?"

"Is that okay with you?"

"Of course. Why wouldn’t it be? You’re my best friend" Zuko felt his heart experiencing a painful twist at the declaration of being Sokka’s friend. Though he couldn’t fully work out why.

The two lay in Zuko's bed next to each other, their hands side by side and barely touching. Outside the warm rain was still hammering down, and Zuko fixed his eyes on the droplets sliding down the window. Thunder rumbled in the distance and there were flashes of light streaking across the sky. Zuko tracked the lightning strikes with his eyes and wondered if he would ever be able to harness and master the volatile sub-element of fire.

When the lightning came, Zuko could feel every nerve in his body buzzing, and for a fleeting second he wondered if all firebenders felt this way in the presence of the electric strikes.

Zuko took a deep breath and inhaled the metallic scent clinging to the air. The smell that came before a violent storm. It had always been a scent that comforted him. Not tonight. Not tomorrow. Not anymore. Anything that had once comforted the young Firelord now ignited every nerve, every muscle. 

When Zuko had any doubt about the new stage of his life he tried to think of the things that comforted him once. But no matter how many times he ran his slender fingers over his childhood toys, lit jasmine incense, meditated under the midday sun, or drank tea with his uncle, nothing eased his fraying mind.

Zuko found himself thinking of his mother, as he often did when he was awake late at night. While he had been thinking of her more lately, this was the first time her voice had entered his mind.

“ _ Here, my little turtleduck _ ” Zuko could still picture the events that accompanied that sentence as clear as day. It was his sixth name day. If he squinted through the darkness of the room he could still see the mini wooden soldier sitting proudly on his vanity.

Zuko was pulled out of his thoughts when he felt Sokka shifting next to him. He turned to look at his friend. Before Zuko could loose himself in another spiral of thoughts, he let the sounds of the rain and Sokka’s gentle breathing lull him into something that resembled a dreamless sleep.

When Zuko awoke, it was still dark and the notched candle told him it was four hours after midnight. With what little light was apparent outside the window, Zuko could see a thick haze of fog hanging in the ar. Sokka was already up and had swapped his sleep clothes for his regular clothes. “You’re up early Sokka” Zuko noted and returned Sokka’s wide smile that spread across his face at the sight of his recently awakened friend.

“How are you feeling?” The smile fell off Zuko’s face and he shook his head.

“I don’t know why” he started and felt the mattress dip where Sokka sat next to him. “But her absence has been more… prominent recently”

“I don’t think the ‘why’ part of this matters” Zuko cast his eyes down to the duvet covering his legs and started to absentmindedly click his fingers quietly. “I think what matters is the fact that your mother is still absent and no one knows where she is”

When there were a lot of thoughts racing around Zuko’s head, he tended to get intimidated by them and opted for silence. Sokka and the others knew this, so they didn’t pressure him to talk to them. The boys sat in silence for a little bit while Zuko waited out his frantic brain.

Once Zuko could feel the speeding thoughts tapering off he attempted speech. “Maybe” he started, going slowly so he didn’t lose what little speech momentum he had. “We could find her… with the Avatar on our team”

Zuko’s words hung in a blanketing silence for a while. “You still feeling non-verbal?” Sokka asked, and Zuko shook his head in the negative.

“Okay, here’s my plan” Sokka started, and Zuko felt a smile twinging the corners of his lips. “When everyone else wakes up, we go eat breakfast, and when we’ve eaten make a plan to find your mum”

Zuko looked up at Sokka and he showed his friend a small smile. For a fleeting second Zuko wondered if that smile he just showed Sokka was real. 

"Then it's settled, after breakfast, we start the search!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I updated? Wild. Bet y'all didn't see that coming.
> 
> Okay, so I didn't really like the way the comics did Ursa's disappearance, so Imma do it a little different but that involves writing the chapters from scratch and there's some Azula content coming up so get hyped for that.
> 
> Anyways, please leave comments and kudos letting me know what you think of this story, and I will see y'all later for some classic Azula simping. Remember, all hours are Azula simping hours.


	3. But Here We Stand on Opposing Sides

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And he earned all your affection,
> 
> You always chose him,
> 
> The Nation's 'pride and joy' yes, your 'perfect' little boy,
> 
> But your daughter,
> 
> Was a monster in your eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “It’s raining” Azula’s voice was a faint whisper but Zuko heard her nonetheless. Two pairs of golden eyes cast their gaze up to the sky.
> 
> “Yeah. It is” Zuko whispered.

“It was a mistake firing father’s council members”

Zuko wondered how long it would take before the sound of Azula’s pitchy voice wouldn’t make his blood run cold, and put every nerve and muscle in his body in attack mode. Her mere presence behind him activated his sense of fight or flight. Normally he would have chosen flight. But he wasn’t going to run today. 

He was in the middle of his morning meditation. The sun had yet to show itself on the horizon, and along with the dim light of the early morning, there was a thick haze of fog clinging to the land.

“They were conspiring with a war criminal. I showed them a mercy” Zuko said loftily, not turning to look at his sister from where he was meditating on the floor.

“The Firelord does not show mercy!” Zuko could picture the angry expression on Azula’s face without turning to look at her. It was far too familiar for his liking. “If you’re going to label them traitors at least have the guts to execute them”

“I will never rule like Father did” Zuko still hadn’t turned to look at Azula, or opened his eyes for that matter. “Fear runs out, and it gives way to anger and rebellion, I plan to rule as Firelord for a long, long time and I will not have a coup on my hands, a merciful and kind reign is a long one”

“Ugh, you’ve been listening to Uncle far too much” if Zuko knew Azula she would be standing behind him inspecting her nails in disdain.

“History will back me up” Zuko started to explain. “Firelord Shiro had a fair and just rule and he reigned for forty five years”

“I’m not interested in a history lesson, Zuzu” Azula’s mocking voice had always grated on Zuko’s nerves but considering the mission ahead of him, he was even more high strung than usual.

“Why are you here?” Zuko asked. He heard the sounds of shuffling robes and assumed Azula had taken up a meditative position on the floor.

“I dreamed about mother last night” the mockery and simpering that usually laced her voice was missing now. Zuko rarely heard this version of Azula’s speech.

“So did I” Zuko sighed. relaxing his posture. “I’m going to find her, if the others agree then I could really use your help”

“Why would you need my help finding mother?” Zuko was taken aback. All Azula had ever wanted was to outclass him, and here was a perfect opportunity.

“Because in a few days, you tracked Aang better than I did in three years” Zuko sighed as he remembered his failed attempts at capturing his friend. “When you’re looking for someone who doesn’t want the Fire Nation to find them that’s a pretty useful asset to have on your side”

“I don’t want to help you” Azula spat, and Zuko cracked one eye open, debating turning to face his sister, but decided better of it when he realised what he would be looking at if he turned around.

“Then you don’t have to” he said, shutting his eye so he didn’t have the temptation to turn around and see the twisted snarl on his sister’s face.

“I don’t need her in my life… she never cared about me anyway” Zuko was sure he wasn’t meant to hear that last bit, but he did anyway.

“You know that’s not true” Zuko said somberly.

“You know that’s true” Azula snarled.

“There were so many people in the world who loved you, and you turned to the one person who didn’t. Ozai didn’t love you. You’re a fool if you think he ever loved anyone” Zuko finally stood and rounded on his sister.

“Well if I didn’t have father’s love then who else would I have?” Azula’s voice was bordering on yelling, and she had assumed an angry stance, staring her brother down.

“You would have had me!” Zuko glared at his sister. “Uncle, mother…” Zuko’s voice faltered at the mention of their mother and it seemed to take some fight out of Azula. “Mother tried, she tried to love you”

“She shouldn’t have had to  _ try _ ” Azula sneered angrily. “And she never did!” All of the fight left the stance Azula had adopted, and for a moment Zuko could have believed that she was a lost child, who just wanted her mother. “I generated lightning when I was eight years old, but did she care? No! She didn’t care about me” Azula paused her angry tirade for breath. “She didn’t care about my bending” her speech was calmer than it had been, but there was still that signature Azula venom. The princess narrowed her eyes as she continued and it sent chills down Zuko’s spine. “All she cared about was her perfect little boy, little baby Zuzu. But me? I was a monster in her eyes!”

“Oh, and you think father cared about you” Zuko returned the smouldering glare, and could feel his bending flowing through him and culminating at his fingers. Smoke was curling off his hands. “He only cared about your bending and what you could provide for him”

“Oh, like he cared about you!” Azula shot back. “I was stronger than you, I’ve always been stronger than you have ever been”

“No, father didn’t care about me, but mother and uncle did and that made me strong” Zuko spat, and there was a faint crackle in the air. Not one that either bender could hear, but rather one they could feel. The calm before a storm.

“Well, I don’t need uncle, I don’t need Mai, I don’t need Ty Lee, I don’t need mother, and I certainly don’t need  _ you _ ” Azula hissed and Zuko could feel a sadness creeping into his chest, but it was outweighed by the feeling of realising that this was exactly what he had expected when Azula approached him. This was what it always came down to.

The crackle was replaced by a feeling of humidity hanging over the siblings like a blanket, and the presence of it seemed to take all of the aggression and anger out of Zuko, leaving only melancholy defeat. “Since I’ve been Firelord, I’ve been thinking”

“Did it hurt?” Azula had that sing song simpering tone back in her voice.

“Actually yes, it did” Zuko narrowed his eyes, and Azula seemed to relax. Whether it was from realising Zuko had been in emotional distress and empathising, or revelling in his pain with sick twisted joy, he didn’t know. Nor did he care.

Silence could have hung over the siblings for hours, or seconds, but neither would know which.

“Do you remember when we were kids?” Zuko started, putting his hands in his pockets, running his fingers over the little wooden soldier he had stored in the left pocket of his robes. “It was raining and we ran out to the market, we ran through the streets together. We were laughing” Zuko fell silent for a moment. “Do you remember mother running after us telling us to put shoes on?” Zuko adopted a small smile.

Call Zuko crazy, but he could have sworn he saw a faint smile tugging at the corner of Azula’s mouth. But as quickly as it appeared, it was gone. “Do you remember us hiding from her in the stalls?”

“Father was so angry when we came home. I’d never seen his face quite so red before… though, he was only angry with me” the slight smile had fallen from Zuko’s face at the memory of Ozai’s anger. “Do you think that’s where the resentment started?”

“Probably” Azula’s sad tone, and heavy words hung in the silence and they weighed on Zuko’s mind. He had long accepted that the rift between the two siblings was on Ozai’s shoulders, but had Azula accepted that?

Before Zuko could ponder anything further, he felt a warm drop of water glance off his nose. He looked up and saw dark clouds gathering, turning the sky a dark shade of grey.

“It’s raining” Azula’s voice was a faint whisper but Zuko heard her nonetheless. Two pairs of golden eyes cast their gaze up to the sky.

“Yeah. It is” Zuko whispered. At one point the sound of the rain falling on the lush green grass would have soothed Zuko. Despite being a firebender, he’d always loved the rain. In the Fire Nation, the rain was warm and when it hit the ground steam curled off where the water landed. Unlike the rain he’d experienced in his years of banishment, which now seemed like a distant nightmare. Zuko hadn’t loved the rain since.

Zuko’s reverie was interrupted by the rustling of fabric, and he turned to his sister. Zuko watched Azula pulling off her shoes, and wiggling her bare feet in the grass beneath them. She turned to look at him, and without her speaking, Zuko knew what that look was asking of him. ‘ _ Why are your shoes still on dumb-dumb? _ ’.

Zuko quickly removed his shoes, and discarded them on the ground. Though where he threw them they had narrowly missed falling into the turtleduck pond.

“I’ll race you to the market” Azula smiled, and Zuko knew that the smile she was displaying to him was definitely real. It was the same one he’d seen all those years ago when they were children. Before Ozai had driven the wedge between them, opening a rift between the siblings that no man could cross without plummeting to his death.

Zuko flashed her a determined smile. “You’re on”

Around them, the rain fell and made tapping sounds on the stone paths that led from the palace to the city. Though all Zuko and Azula could hear was the splashing of their feet hitting the stone as they ran.

When Zuko had first experienced the rain that fell in the rest of the world, he had tentatively walked out from the lower decks of his ship and stood on the deck. The mounting disappointment and homesickness that stemmed from the freezing water hitting his skin had almost been enough to break him.

But the rain that was falling on him now wasn’t cold. It was warm, it was pleasant, and it was falling from a Fire Nation sky. 

The siblings kept running as they came out into the market. The wet splashing of their feet on the stone as they ran echoed of the wooden buildings that lined the market streets. As they ran they took in the scent of fire flakes, cooking dumplings, fresh sea soup and the smell of a brewing pot of tea. The vendors were just starting to open up their stalls for the early morning market goers.

They reached the centre of the market and stopped running. The siblings were soaked to the skin but it didn’t matter. It was never cold in the Fire Nation. Agni always blessed the land with warmth and light, and the people were thankful. Zuko cast his eyes around the market and could see a group of children play fighting in the rain. He smiled as he watched the joy spread across their faces as some of them stuck out their tongue to taste the rain. But the smile was wiped off his face when he realised that soon he would have to organise the suitor’s day General Anzai had mocked him for. One day soon he would have to produce an heir.

“You’re thinking about Mai aren’t you” Zuko gave Azula his best suspicious side eye. A look that Mai had often delivered to him when he had been a bit too cryptic about meetings for her liking. Azula had never shown interest in him that was free of mockery and degradation.

“Mai and I have gone our separate ways” Zuko started. “She wanted to be closer to her family, and I know that it has never been the easiest job of being in a relationship with me”

Before Azula could respond, though there was no need, Zuko would just assume it was something clever, three men approached them. They didn’t have to introduce themselves. Zuko knew who the men were. They were the chi blockers who were set with the task of guarding Azula.

“Princess Azula, you were allowed a walk outside the asylum and you escaped. What do you have to say for yourself?” Zuko flicked his gaze from the men to his sister. He was expecting her to attack them, or tell them off for treating her like a petulant child. But she didn’t do either of those things. She let them take hold of her arms and lead her away. No fight.

But before she let them take her, she turned to Zuko and raised two fingers to her forehead and pushed them away slightly. “See you around, Zuzu” Azula was smiling, but the genuine one was gone and had been replaced with a false curl of the lips, designed to hide sadness and defeat. 

Zuko watched the chi blockers leading Azula away, and he felt a pang of sadness at the sight of his sister’s retreating back. He didn’t know if he would ever see that carefree, playful side of Azula again. He wanted to call out to the men taking her away, to speak to her like a true Princess of the Fire Nation. But the words died on his tongue.

For a moment Zuko had fallen in love with the rain again. For a moment Zuko had been happy with his sister. But as far as Zuko was now concerned happiness is fleeting and it never stays. It’s like a dream, and no man would ever fathom willingly waking from it. And as Zuko trudged dejectedly back to the palace, he realised that one day everyone has to wake up, and when they do, they come to the knowledge that happiness is a transient illusion.

The palace loomed over the figure of a teenager, walking through the haze of rain and fog, hanging his head and looking truly as though he were a broken man. Had anyone looked at him they would have thought he was a regular citizen of the Fire Nation who had a bad day. Not the Firelord carrying immense loneliness and sorrow on his shoulders. Maybe Zuko wanted to blend in with the world then. Even if it were just for a moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two updates in a day? Whomst have I become? A competent author perhaps.
> 
> Oh okay so we're going for the depressing kind of sad with this chapter.
> 
> Anyways, I'm switching up the Azula redemption arc this time around. I realised it happened mostly off screen in the first version of this fic so I'm making it way more overt now.
> 
> Okay that's all from me, hope y'all enjoyed this chapter, we'll return to our regularly scheduled program of Zukka pining next chapter because in the next chapter it's time to begin the search for Ursa.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, first chapter of after the war 2.0 down, many many more to go.
> 
> The original fic has 67 chapters and there's still quite a few to still be written so my plan is to split it up by arc and put it in a series to make it a little less intimidating.
> 
> Anyways, comments and kudos are appreciated and if you go to instagram and follow @the.mighty.writer you will be notified when the fic updates.
> 
> Okay that's all from me, see y'all in chapter 2.


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